Around the World Roundup: 'Pirates' Rule for Seventh Week

by Conor Bresnan

August 21, 2006

For the seventh consecutive weekend, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest topped the foreign box office, driven solely by holdover markets. The supernatural swashbuckler grossed $24.8 million over the weekend from 7,014 screens in 51 territories, and its overall total climbed to $521.5 million total. Soon, it will eclipse The Da Vinci Code as the No. 1 movie of 2006.

In Japan, Pirates was down only nine percent to $4.1 million for a phenomenal $68.3 million total through its fifth weekend. In its second weekend in Spain, it made $5.1 million for a $25 million total. Other smashing tallies include France's $37.4 million, Germany's $51.8 million, and the United Kingdom's $88.9 million.

Miami Vice entered 11 territories, boosting its weekend to $11.5 million for a $35.6 million total. In France, Michael Mann's cop drama scored a surprising strong $4.3 million start from 650 screens, which was nearly half of what Mann's Collateral did in its entire run. Neighboring Belgium followed suit with an impressive $730,272 from 56 screens, and Vice was solid in other smaller markets, like Denmark ($299,778 from 35 screens), Hong Kong ($213,167 from 27) and the Netherlands ($396,787 from 36). Larger market South Korea became one of Vice's top territories with a $1.7 million start from 219 screens.

Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties kicked off Italy's Fall season as the traditionally dismal Summer session came to an end. The lasagna-loving family sequel gobbled $1.7 million from 340 screens. Also rejuvenating Italy was Domino's $564,045 from 245 screens and Lucky Number Slevin's $438,933 from 181 screens, and business shifts up a gear next weekend with the arrival of Cars.

In Russia, Garfield nabbed a potent $2.1 million from 350 screens, topping the original. Its second weekend in China was almost as big as its first with $1.1 million for a $4.4 million total. All told, Garfield consumed $8 million for a $51 million total.

Brandon Routh in Superman Returns

Superman Returns continued its topsy-turvy run with a disappointing opening in Germany and a solid one in Japan. The Man of Steel garnered a mere $1.9 million from 667 prints in Germany, a far cry from X-Men's $5.2 million. Distributor Warner Bros. noted that it was on par with Batman Begins, a movie that earned only $7 million there. Results differed in Japan where Superman ranked first with a decent $3.2 million from 505 prints, topping X2: X-Men United along with Batman Begins.

Overall Superman Returns took in $7.6 million for a $166 million total. Next up are Italy on Sept. 1 and Greece on Sept. 7.

Monster House's stout holds in South Korea and the U.K. contributed to the animated feature's $4.4 million weekend for a $20.2 million total. It fell a miniscule 17 percent in the U.K. to $1.6 million for a $5.8 million total and 32 percent in South Korea to $1.5 million for a $6.1 million total. However, Monster House had meager openings, including Peru's $111,331 from 30 screens and the Netherlands' $99,625 from 65.

In Mexico, Adam Sandler's Click was in line with his 50 First Dates, opening to $1.7 million from 418 screens and ranking first. Overall, the comedy grossed $4 million over the weekend for a $26.6 million tally.

Receiving the same amount of attention overseas as it did domestically, Snakes on a Plane played just like a typical horror movie. Results from Thailand ($335,440 from 125 screens), Israel ($54,328 from 27) and Venezuela ($44,172 from 19) were unexceptional, but the horror comedy was a little above average in the U.K. with a top-ranked $2 million from 354 screens.

John Tucker Must Die made its overseas debut in Sweden and the U.K. While Sweden was inconsequential with $103,000 from 25 screens, the U.K. was solid with $1.6 million from 300 screens.